Writing instrument



1966 E. A. ERIKSSON WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 5, 1950 INVENTORE.ALDEN ERIKSSON ATTORNEYS 6Q Y t m: 1 11.1w; 9L D 3 9 V m: B; if h. 1 39 1 9 m b N n 80 a \E Q a a u a e a m5 2 a 8 j r A 2 g 2 mm mm 8 pm mdE6 m [IIIIIL 2 8 N @E wE m a w M A w B m m w\ United States 3,230,934WRITING INSTRUMENT Ernst Alden Eriksson, Lexington, Mass., assignor toThe Carters Ink Company, Cambridge, Mass 21 corporation of MassachusettsFiled Oct. 5, 1960, Ser. N 66,628 4 Claims. (Cl. 120-4203) Thisinvention relates to writing instruments, and more particularly to animproved writing instrument of the kind having a cartridge reciprocablein a barrel to an extended position for writing, and to a retractedposition for carrying in a pocket when the instrument is not in use.

It is common practice in such writing instruments to provide a pushbutton and plunger which are reciprocably mounted in the barrel toextend the cartridge and the point thereof into writing position, anddetent mechanism for releasably latching the cartridge in that position.The detent mechanism is frequently provided with a retracting or releasebutton aocessibly mounted in the barrel for releasing the cartridge,thereby permitting a compression spring to withdraw the cartridge to theretracted position following use of the pen. In pens having eradicatingde vices in the rearward portion of the barrel, or in which it isotherwise inconvenient to locate the retracting button rearwardly on thebarrel, the detent mechanism and the retracting button must be locatedforwardly along the barrel. However, the forward location of aretracting button, in the area of the barrel which is occupied by thefingers in holding the pen, frequently results in accidental retractionof the cartridge during use.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved writinginstrument of the kind having a retracting or release button situatedforwardly in a barrel thereof, which minimizes the possibility ofaccidental retraction which otherwise arises from this location of theretracting button.

In the use of a writing instrument having the conventional pocket cliplocated rearwardly thereon, users may be irritated by the angular sideedges of the clip striking the hand. While users may not becomeconscious of this discomfort, they are frequently observed to twist thewriting instrument into a position such that the clip is disposed awayfrom the hand.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved writinginstrument having means for automatically positioning the instrument sothat a pocket clip mounted thereon is disposed away from the hand of theuser.

Briefly stated, in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, I maycarry out my invention by providing a writing instrument with a barrelhaving a protruding flattened finger-deck surface located rearwardlyadjacent to a retracting or release button situated forwardly of thebarrel, and incline this deck surface outwardly from the barrel in theforward direction. The deck surface receives one of the fingers of auser holding the pen in position for writing, and is so formed that thefinger will not easily slip accidentally into engagement with theretracting button. A pocket clip is aligned longitudinally on the barrelwith the finger deck, so that the user automatically grips the pen in aposition such that the clip is disposed away from the hand.

A cartridge having a writing point is reciprocably mounted in the barreland secured to a plunger for extending the point to a writing position.A detent mechanism is positioned within the barrel near the front endthereof for releasably latching the cartridge in the extended positionagainst the bias of a retraction spring,

and is arranged to release the cartridge upon the depression of theretracting button.

My improved pen construction is particularly suited for use in a penhaving an eradicating device contained in the rearward portion of thebarrel, such as is described in my copending application entitled,Combination Writing instrument and Eradicator, or in which other use ismade of the space contained in the rearward portion of the barrel;however, its utility is not confined to pens having .such provisions.

The invention will be better understood from consideration of thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof in aball-point pen, referring to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a ball-point pen according to my invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation thereof;

1G. 3 is an elevation in cross-section showing the cartridge in aretracted position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in cross-section showing the cartridge inan extended position, and

FIG. 5 is an end view.

Referring to the drawings, my improved writing instrument includes abarrel 1, which is formed of plastic, metal, or other relatively rigidmaterial. In the embodiment shown, a plunger 2 .is provided, including aremovable cap 3 slidably received thereon, and a removable ejectionbutton 4 slidably received on the cap. A casing 5, having a resilientpocket clip 6 secured thereto, is slidably received over the barrel forenclosing the plunger. A bayonet button 7 is attached to the innersurface of the casing and is received within a suitable L-shaped groove(not shown) formed in the barrel, to removably secure the casing uponthe barrel in a conventional manner.

The plunger 2, the cap 3, and the ejection button 4 may be formed as anintegral structure if desired, but I prefer that the plunger be hollowto form an eradicating fluid reservoir, with the cap and the buttonbeing removable to afiord access to an eradicator dispensing tip (notshown), and a blotting tip (not shown), as described and claimed in myaforementioned co-pending application.

A conventional ball-point cartridge 8, which forms an ink reservoir andhas a ball-point unit 9 mounted thereon, is received within the barreland threaded at 18 into the plunger 2. A vent 10a is formed in theplunger to communicate the ink supply in the cartridge with atmosphericpressure, so that a vacuum is not built up in the cartridge to interferewith the flow of ink to the point. An interior bore 11 of the barrelreceives a retracting spring 12. The bore is reduced in diameter at 13to form a flange 14 against which the spring 12 rests. Manual depressionof the ejection button 4 drives the plunger 2 and the cartridge 8forwardly in the barrel, and extends the Point unit 9 into writingposition through a nosepiece 15 received on the forward end of thebarrel. The retraction spring 12 biases the plunger in a rearwarddirection, thus tending to withdraw the cartridge and the pointrearwardly into the barrel.

A detent mechanism is provided to releasably latch the cartridge and thepoint unit in the extended writing position. The detent mechanismincludes a detent spring 15, which is secured to the front end of thecartridge 8 by means of a collar 17. The detent spring is formed with areverse bend 16a, and terminates in an outwardly and axially extendingflange 13. A retracting or release button 19 is pivotally supported inthe nosepiece 15 by means of a hook portion Ztl formed in the button. Aplanar surface 24 extends axially of the button rearwardly from the hookportion 28, for sliding cooperation with the flange 18 of the detentspring 16. The button 19 is loosely received within a radial slot 21formed in the forward end of the barrel. At its rearward end, the buttonis fitted interiorly of an overhanging lip 22 formed in the barrel, andis free to move radially inwardly of the lip.

The cartridge and the point unit are shown in the retracted position inFIG. 3. In order to extend them to the writing position of FIG. 4 theejection button 4 is depressed forwardly, driving the plunger, thecartridge, and the point unit forwardly, and carrying the flange 18 ofthe detent spring 16 into abutment upon the hook portion 20 of theretracting button, thus stopping the forward motion of the cartridge.The barrel is formed with an inwardly projecting detent or lip 25, whichis of greater height than the retracting button. As the flange 18reaches the position shown in FIG. 4, the reverse bend 16a of the springoverrides the lip 25 and springs outwardly. Upon the release of theejection button, the cartridge retracts very slightly until the reversebend 16a axially abuts the lip 25, the flange 18 then being slightlywithdrawn from the hook portion 20. The detent spring 16 thus retainsthe cartridge in the extended position for writing, against the rearwardbias of the retracting spring 12.

In order to retract the point following use of the pen, the retractingbutton is depressed. This movement drives the reverse bend 16a of thespring radially inwardly out of engagement with the lip 25, and theretraction spring l2 withdraws the point, the cartridge, the plunger andthe ejection button to the retracted position of FIG. 3. The flange 18of the spring slides axially over the planar surface 24 of the button19. The plunger and cartridge are stopped by the engagement of ashoulder 4a of the ejection button with an opening 5a of the casing tolimit the rearward movement of the cartridge. As shown, the flange 18does not engage the lip 25 in the retracted position of the cartridge.However, upon removal of the casing 5 from the barrel for replacement ofthe cartridge, the latter is withdrawn rearwardly by the spring 12 to apoint at which the flange and the lip engage. The plunger and cartridgeassembly may then be released for removal from the barrel by againdepressing the retracting button 19, which drives the flange inwardlyout of engagement with the lip. Removal of the cartridge is facilitatedby the provision of a groove 27, extending longitudinally in the casingrearwardly from the lip 25. The flange 18 passes readily along thegroove 27 as the cartridge is Withdrawn from the barrel.

In use, the writers fingers normally engage the pen near the forward endthereof, in the vicinity of the retracting button. It is a feature of myinvention that the casing is formed with a protruding, flattened fingerdeck surface 26, which is inclined outwardly in the forward directionalong the barrel to form a rest for a forefinger of the writer. The decksurface aids in preventing accidental depression of the retractingbutton during use of the pen by opposing slippage of the finger alongthe barrel and into engagement with the retracting button. The decksurface is aligned longitudinally with the clip 6 upon the barrel, andserves to automatically position the writing instrument with the clipdisposed away from the writers hand, thereby avoiding annoyance causedby the clip striking the hand. It will be apparent that the deck surfaceneednot be precisely aligned longitudinally with the clip, but may beoffset somewhat in a circumferential direction, so long as in the normalwriting grip the position of the forefinger upon the deck surfacepositions the clip out of contact face forwardly to a point rearwardlyadjacent to the slot 21 and to the button. The deck surface is alsopreferably extended to a radial height slightly greater than that of theretracting button, as shown, and is inclined at a sub stantial angle tothe barrel.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my improvedwriting instrument, it will be appar cut to those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. I therefore intend to coverall such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. In a pen, a barrel, a cartridge including a writing pointreciprocably mounted in said barrel, said cartridge being movableforwardly of said barrel to an extended writing position and rearwardlyof said barrel to a retracted position, spring means urging saidcartridge to the retracted position, detent mechanism including arelease button releasably securing said cartridge in the writingposition, said button'being accessibly mounted forwardly in said barrelfor operation by thefinger of a user to release said cartridge forretraction by said spring means, said barrel being formed with a decksurface rearwardly of said button for receiving a finger of a user inposition for writing, said deck. surface protruding from said barrel toprevent accidental operation of said retracting button by the timer ofthe user slipping forwardly along said barrel.

2. A pen as recited in claim 1, in which said deck surface is flattenedand is inclined outwardly in the forward direction of said barrel;

3. In a pen, a barrel, a cartridge including a writing pointreciprocably mounted in said barrel, said cartridge being movableforwardly of said barrel to an extended position for writing andrearwardly of said barrel to a retracted position, spring means urgingsaid cartridge to the retracted position, a release button pivotallymounted in said pen at the forward end of said barrel, a detent formedin the forward end of said barrel, a detent spring mounted on saidcartridge and normally resiliently engaging said detent in the extendedposition of said cartridge to restrain said cartridge against retractionby said spring means, said button being accessible for depression by thefinger of a user to depress and disengage said detent spring from saiddetent for movement of said cartridge to the retracted position by saidspring means, said barrel being formed with a deck surface rearwardlyadjacent to said button for receiving a finger of a user in position forwriting, said deck surface protruding from said barrel and beinginclined outwardly in the forward direction along said barrel to preventaccidental depression of said button by the finger of a user slippingforwardly along said deck surface and into engagement with said button.

4. In a pen, a barrel having a longitudinal axis, a nosepiece receivedon a forward end of said barrel and having an axial opening, a cartridgeincluding a writing point mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in saidbarrel to a writing position in whi h said point protrudes through saidopening from a forward end of said barrel and to a retracted postionwithin said barrel, spring means urging said cartridge to the retractedposition, a longitudinal slot formed in said forward end of said barreladjacent said nosepiece, detent mechanismincluding a release buttonreleasably latching said cartridge in the writing'position, said buttonbeing received in said slot and pivotally mounted in said nosepiece fordepression by the finger of a user to release said cartridge forretraction by said spring means, said barrel being formed with a decksurface locatedrearwardly of and adjacent to said slot for receiving afinger of a user in position for writing, said deck surface protrudingfrom said barrel and being inclined outwardly toward said slot toprevent accidental depression of said button by the finger ofthe userslipping forwardly along said deck surface and into engagement with saidbutton.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITEDFOREIGN PATENTS STATES PATENTS 965,551 6/1957 Germany.

Grant 822,259 10/1959 Great Britain.

120 42 03 5 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Przmary Examzner.

Fraser 42-705 GEORGE A. NINAS, 111., JOSEPH D. BEIN, JEROME Lovejoy 12o42.03 SCHNALL, Examiners.

1. IN A PEN, A BARREL, A CARTRIDGE INCLUDING A WRITING POINTRECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BARREL, SAID CARTRIDGE BEING MOVABLEFORWARDLY OF SAID BARREL TO AN EXTENDED WRITING POSITION AND REARWARDLYOF SAID BARREL TO A RETRACTED POSITION, SPRING MEANS URGING SAIDCARTRIDGE TO THE RETRACTED POSITION, DETENT MECHANISM INCLUDING ARELEASE BUTTON RELEASABLY SECURING SAID CARTRIDGE IN THE WRITINGPOSITION, SAID BUTTON BEING ACCESSIBLY MOUNTED FORWARDLY IN SAID BARRELFOR OPERATION BY THE FINGER OF A USER TO RELEASE SAID CARTRIDGE FORRETRACTION BY SAID SPRING MEANS, SAID BARREL BEING FORMED WITH A DECKSURFACE REARWARDLY OF SAID BUTTON FOR RECEIVING A FINGER OF A USER INPOSITION FOR WRITING, SAID DECK SURFACE PROTRUDING FROM SAID BARREL TOPREVENT ACCIDENTAL OPERATION OF SAID RETRACTING BUTTON BY THE FINGER OFTHE USER SLIPPING FORWARDLY ALONG SAID BARREL.